Printing press



May 31 v. L. REEVE Y PRINTING PRESS lFlecl Septv. 28 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1, v

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May 3l 1927. 1,630,905

V. L. REEVE PRINTING PRESS Filed sept. 28. 1921 5 sheets-sheet 2 May 31 1927.

v. lL.. REEVE PRINTING PRESS Filed sept. 2e. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 V. L. REEVE May 31 PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 28. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 156300,905 May 311927 v. l... Rx-:EvE l PRINTING PRESS I Filed sept. 28. 1921 5 sheetsheet 5 Patented May 31, 1927.

.UNITED sra'rlasv Y PATENT OFFICE.

VERE LOCKSLEY I'tllillVIlL, OF BALLARAT, VICTORIAQ AUSTRALIA.

PRINTING PRESS.

Application filed September 28, 1,921, SerialNo. 503,879, and in Australia october 15, 1920. v

This invention relates to an improved printing press and it refers especially to a combination printing, litho and offset press for printing on paper, cloth, tin or other material in single or a plurality of colours.

The object of the present invention isto provide a printing press of simple construction which can be easily and conveniently adapted to perform all or-any of the different kinds of printing now performed on the various types of direct or offset printing presses now in use whereby one or more colours are placed side by side or superimposed on paper, cloth, tin or other materials in one or more operations of the press. v

This invention is applicable to the use of blocks, plates, formes of type, stones and other impreing media or sections of the same and it will be understood that in this specification the term formes will include all such devices for transferring on to the offset cylinders or paper a film of ink representing the characters, designs or engravings to be printed.

I accomplish the above mentioned object by providing a printing press wherein provision'is made for transferring one or more colours from one or more formes or other impressing means or sections thereof direct upon paper or other material (either side by side or superimposed) or alternately for transferring-one or more colours from one or more formes or other impressing means to one or more offset printing cylinders in correct register or two o1' more colours in correct register on one offset printing cylinder and another colour or'other colours on va separate offset printing cylinder whereby the colours so transferred can be printed in correct superimposed register upon paper or other material lto produce multi-colour work.

The means for carrying the invention into effect comprises briefly a frame having a reciprocatingly mounted table upon which are mounted one or more formes each having one or more superimposed inking rollers and an ink duct or reservoii'for placing its own particular colour or colours of ink thereon as the table is moved forward and means for bringing the said formes on the forward movement of the table into contact with one or more offset or direct printing cylinders in such a'manner that one or more 'ofthe impressions will be transferred there-y to either side by side or in accurately superimposed reglster.

.When printing direct on to the paper l passing around the printing cylinderor cyl-V inders from the formes the .prlnting operation is performed on the forward movement of the table and when performing an offset printing operation the said offset cylinders are placed' in contact withl and print on the paper o n the return movement of the table.

prlnting press constructed inaccordance with the present invention can be adapted to print upon paper or other material taken from a reel and thereby operated at a high speed or upon flat sheets of paper.

In order that my invention may be readily understood reference will now be had to the accompanying sheets ofexplanatory drawings wherein s Figure l is a view in sideelevation of a printing press constructed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a view in sectional side elevationv of the table and shows means formovably supporting and for adjusting the height of the same.

Figure 3 is a view in sectional end eleva-v tion taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view in end elevation of the printing press shown in Figure 1. v

Figures 5 and 6 are views in side and end elevation respectively 'of part of the mechlanism employed for feeding pa er from a foo igure 8 is a view'in si e elevation of partv of the press showing a set of ink distributing rollers. I

Figure 9 is a view in end elevation of part of the press and shows portion of the ink distributioir rollers shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view 4in side elevation of part of the press and shows two sets of printing cylindersadapted to perform offset printing operations and means for adjusting the paper to ensure the colours bein placed in correct register thereon.

,Figure l1 is a' view in Side elevatlon of a v tively, showing portions of combined feeding and cutting devices f or cutting the printed sheets transversely into sections of vpredetermined size.

Figure 14 4is a view in plan of the rear part of the frame of the printingpress showing portion of the table removed to clearly illustrate extensible supports for the said table.

Figures 15, 15a, 15b, and 15", are diagrammatic views illustrating the action of the,

inking and printing cylinders with relation to the position of the impressing means at different points in the movement of the table.

Four inking cylinders and two sets of printing cylinders are shown and arranged sol that three colours are applied to one printing cylinder and one colour to the other printing` cylinder.

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic /view showing the inking rollers arranged to apply two colours to each printing cylinder.

In these drawings the numeral 2 0 designates a rectangular frame having a table 21 mounted reciprocatingly on the feed end thereof.

The table is made approximately half the length of the frame and is supportedon rollers 22 which are adapted to run on grooved tracks 23 fitted to a lower partof the frame.

A drivingshaft 24 is mounted transversely at the delivery end of the frame and pinions 25 on this shaft gear with spur wheels 26 on a counter-shaft 27. The spur wheels 26 are provided with a crank pin 28 to which is connected one end of a pitman 29 having its Vopposite end connected to the centre of a transverse shaft 30. The ends of the shaft 30 pass through and are rotatably supported 1n longitudinally disposed beams 31 which are fitted with laterally projecting spindles 32 carrying the rollers 22.-

The shaft 30 is provided with a pair of gear wheels 33.which mesh with racks 34 fitted to the base of the frame and with racks 35 fitted to the underside of the table supporting frame 21.

The use of double racks in conjunction wlth the supporting rollers as above described ensures the table being moved longitudinally a distance equal to twice the stroke of the crank in 28 at each half revolution of the spur w eel. l

The forme carrying table is adjustably. supported within the rect-angular open frame 21 which is adapted to move freely between the sides of the ress frame and rest upon the rollers 22. he said table is adapted. to be raised and lowered t@ suit 1,6aoleo5 the height of the blocks or other impressing media attached thereto by wedge shaped blocks 36 vwhich are removed in unlson` ,which is adapted to support journal bearings 39 for an ink distributing roller 40 and forme inking roller 41.

The journal bearings 39 for the rollers 4() are secured adjustably at any desired point in the height of the brackets by means of set-screws 42 and the normal position of the journal bearings of the forme inking rollers 41 is regulated by set-screws 43.

The brackets supporting the journal bearings are slotted to permit of the said bearings being adjusted to a required height and the bearings of the inking rollers 41 to move vertically therein.

The distributing roller 4() receives ink from an oscillatingly supported roller 44 which 1s adapted to receive its supply from a roller 45 operating in an ink duct or reservoir A46. The roller 44 is actuated in such a manner that it is maintained for a desired period in contact with the distributing roller and then with the roller in the ink duct ,or reservoir.

The forme inking roller 41 of each inking set is rotated continuously (first in one direction and then in the opposite direction) by means of chain and sprocket gearing actuated by the movement of the table and the roller in the ink duct is rotated by pawl and ratchet mechanism 47 and by chain and sprocket gearing 48 from a spindle of the inking roller 41. The object in rotating the roller 45 by means of pawl and ratchet mechanism is to ensure it. being rotated inv termittently in one direction only and thereby obviate the likelihood ofink' being thrown out of the. duct or the roller being Hooded, which would result if the said roller was rotated in a reverse direction. The rollers` 44 are supported rotatably in the upper ends of arms 49 fitted to shafts passing transversely across the press and depending from the ends of the said shafts are arms 49 which are connected to a rod 50 having one-of its ends pivoted to an oscillating lever 51. The said lever 51 is pivoted to the frame of the press and its lower end is fitted with a roller which is maintained bearing against a cam l52 on the counter shaft 27 by means fof a spring 53.

In Figures 8 and 9 both of the arms 49 and arm 49 are shown and in Figure Lof u'to be operatedl in such a way that the rollers -44will be moved outl of Contact with the rollers in the ink reservoirsl and into contact with the distributingrollers 40'.4 .The cam 52 shown in the drawings has'been devised-tomove the duct rollers so as totransfer .ink from the rollers in the ink reservoirs to the distributing rollers once in each rotation of the countershaft 27.l The shape of the cam 52 determines the duration of the time during which the roller 44 is kept bearing against the roller 45 and this determines vthe amount of ink transferred to the roller'40.

The brackets supporting the bearings for the inking and distributing rollers 41 and 40, respectively, are arranged to support pivoted hangers 54 having their lower' ends shaped to support screw threaded bearings 55 which engage threaded spindles 56 on lateral distributing or spreading rollers 57. The hangers on opposite sides of each bracket are connected by tension springs 458 A which ensure the said spreading rollers bearing constantlyagainst the forme inking rollers 41.

The spreading rollers are maintained bearing against the forme inking rollers with-suffcient pressure to ensure them being rotated therewith and the threaded spindles and bearings cause the said spreading rollers to be reciprocated endwise during' the forward and backward movements of the table. The spreading rollers ensure the ink applied or delivered to the forme inking rollers being evenly spread over their surfaces) and an even application of ink to the formes or impressingmedia affixed tothe table of the press.

The forme inking rollers 41 of the inking sets are adapted to be raised for a certain period to receive a supply of ink'from the distributing rollers 40 on both the forward and backward movement of the table and the forme inking roller 41 ot each set is then lowered to its full extent to apply the ink over the surface of its respective forme or other impressing media on the table.

lhen the table is in its rearmost position' the formes or other impressing media thereon are arranged with their forward ends directly *below the centres of the forme inking rollers which are then in their lowermost positions and ready to apply ink tof the said formes when the table commences its forward mo vement. The sides of the table are provided with linear cams 41 which are adapted to raise each forme inkf i I ing roller when the table is moved forwardly a sufficient distance to bring the rear end of' each forme beneath its respective inking 'roller. The said line-arcams I41 are made sufficiently long to ensure the forme inking rollers being maintained out of contact with any buttheir respective formes.

When the table is moved forward clear of thev inking rollersfthe said rollers will descend to their. normal position and on the` return movement ofthe table the linear cams will again raise the rollers until vsuch time'as they are inv position ,to move into contact with their respective formes.

Thus, it willbe understood that the Aforme inking rollers transfer ink to their respective formes and f are raised to receive ink from their respective distributing rollers on each forward and backward movement of the table.

and cams or like devices actuated from any i `chain and sprocket gearing 59, 60 and 61` from a rotatable spindle (S2-which is adapted to receive its motion from gearing 63 mounted on thel machine frame and actuated by the movement of racks 64 fitted to the frame of the table.

`The gearing 63 which is controlled by the movement of the table operates in one direcf tion on the forward movement and in the reverse direction on the backward movement of the said table. i

Two printing sets 65Aand 65 are mounted on the forward part of the lframe so that one set 65 will be disposed in advance of the table when in its rearmost position and the oother set 65 is located above a forward part of the table and at the rear of one of the inking sets of rollers which is disposed between nsaid printing sets '(see Figures 1 and inder65a and a paper or printing cylinder 65h. For direct prlnting the offset cylinder is removed and the paper cylinder loweredV to take its place.

The printing sets are so disposed that the forme or impressing media 66 on the front part of the vtable will be ybrought tobear against the oset cylinder 65a of the set 65 Each printing set comprises an offset cyly ses The raising and llowering of the forme v inking rollers may be effected by tappets whilst the formes or impressing media l67,`

Figures 15 to 16). y

Thepinking rollers and printing'sets can be adjusted on the frame of the press so that colours from one or more of the formes 66, 67, 68 and 69 on the table can be transferred to the printing set 65 and one or more colours canbe transferred ina like manner t the printing set 65.

When two or more colours are transferred to the offset cylinder or direct to the paper on the printing cylinder as the case may be they can be arranged side by side or be superimposed in correct re 'ster thereon.

The spindles of the o set cylinders of the printing sets 65 and 65 are mounted in bearings supported movably in vertical guides or brackets 70 on the frame of the press and the paper cylinders 65b are mounted in bearings 71 fitted adjustably to the said brackets above the said offset cylinder.

The offset cylinders (or the paper cylinders in the caseof'direct printing) are rotated through a train of ,gearing 72 from two sets of gearing 63 which are operated from the racks 64 fitted to the frame of the n table (see Figures 1 and 3).

The impression is transferred from the formes or impressing media to the offset cylinders on the forward movement of the table and when the table commences its rearward movement said offset cylinders with .the imt cylinders into contact with the paper passvof time sufiicient to permit ing around the paper cylinders comprise adjustable connecting rods 73 having one of their ends connected to the spindles or bearings of the said offset cylinders and their opposite ends connected to levers 74 pivoted to the machine frame and carrying rollers adapted to bear against cams 75. The said cams are adapted to raise the free ends of the levers 74 and maintain the offset printing cylinders in contact with the. paper passing around the paper cylindersgfor a period of the impression being transferred tothe paper.

l' The @ams 7 5 are designed to permit gf the raised position.

offset cylinders being lowered for a suficient space of time to receive a correct impression from the formes on the forward movement of the table and raised for a corresponding' period of time to permit of the impression being transferred to the pa er on the rear movement of the table and or maintaining the said cylinders in anintermediate or neutral position at other times.

The cams 75 are driveniby chain and sprocket mechanism 76 from the counters aft in correct synchronism with the movement of the table so that the several arts will be operated in timed relationship as above described.

The connecting rods 73 are adjustable as to length by means of` right and left hand threaded nuts 73 so as to ermit of the offset cylinder being adjuste with respect to the paper cylinder and to the formes.

The connecting rods 73'can be slotted to engage the bearings forthe offset cylinders and the said bearings can be resiliently mounted in the said slots by 'means of springs 77 which are capable of adjustment by set screws 78 (see Figure 11). The bearings of the spindles for the train of gearing l 72 are resiliently mounted (as shown at 79 in the right hand side of Figure 10) to ensure the teeth of the said gearing meshing correctly when the 'offset cylinder `is in its is suficient to support the weight of the gearing and. when the offset cylinder is raised the springs raise the gearing-sufficient to ensure them remaining in mesh.

In order to permit of the formes or other impressing media being conveniently affixed to the table the said table is adapted to be moved beyond the rear end ofthe frame of 23- (see Figure 14). The extensions of the tracks are indicated by the numeral 80 and The strength of the springs the press on folding extensions 'of the tracks l: 105

are hinged to the rear ends of the main part of the said tracks. When the said extensions are placed in the positions shown in broken lines and the table is disengaged from the crank pin on the spur wheel fitted to the counter shaft it can be moved rearwardly on to the said extensions when it will be easily. accessible )for securing the formes or impressing media thereto or for removing them therefrom.

When performing offset printing on paper taken from a spool 81 the said spool is supported rotatably on a spindle mounted in brackets 82' at the rear of the machine frame. The end of the .paper is passed around a fixed guide roller. 83 up to and around an adjustable guide roller 84, through operating feed rollers 85, across a superimposed table 86, through a pair of guide rollers 87, between the rear paper and y `ffset ylinderyaround a fixed roller 88 and an adiustable synchronizing roller 89 bemovement of the bed by means of pawl and ratchet devices 85 and85 and bychain and sprocket v,f earing 86 land 86" fromv a shaft lOOrrotatably supported on the frame and driven by chain and sprocket gearing 101 from the spindle of an adjacent inking vroller 41.

Theinking roller is revolved almost continuously in a backward and forward direction and in accordance with the movement of the table and the ratchet gearing 85 and 85 ensures the paper being fed continuously in one direction through the feed rollers 85 irrespective of the direction in which the inking roller is rotated.

The paper between the feed rollers 85 and the rollers 90 is' moved intermittently and during the idle period of the paper (when the table is moving o n its return stroke) portion of the paper is looped above the table 86 by the continuous feed of the rollers 85.

The object of feeding the paper continuously to a point from which it can pass freely to the printing sets' is to avoid any tug and tearing of the paper which would be' likely to result froml any intermittent rotation of the reel 81.

When the paper is kto be printed on both sides it is Apassed from the roller 91 to a spool 92 upon which it is wound by gearing 93 operated from the driving shaft. The gearing 93 embodies a friction clutch or like device 93 which will permit of the said gearing operating without rotating the spool 92 when the paper is'passed through the press at a rate lower than the speed of rotation of the said gearing. When all the paper is wound on the spool 92 the said spool is placed on the brackets 82 and the paper is passed through the press in a reversed position. v

After printing, the paper may be cut into sheets of predetermined sizes by passing it from the roller 91 to and between feed rollers 94 above one'of which is mounted'a multi-blade rotary cutter 95 adapted -to cut the paper transversely. In between the roller 91 and the feed rollers 94 are a number 0f inclined knives 96 which are adapted to cut the paper longitudinally and after the paper has been cut transversely by the rotary cutter 95 the sheets can be conveyed to any desired point.

The paper is adjusted by means of the synchronizing roller 89 to ensure the correct superimposing of the colours or printing from the front offset cylinder over the impressions made by the rear oEset cylinder and the feed and guide rollers can be suitably adjusted to ensure the 'paper `being passed correctly through the machine.

Whenl printing in four colours is' desired, the inking sets are provided with the different coloured inks required and the formes are Y arranged on the table as shown diagrammatically in Figure 15.

When the table is moved forward each forme' is inked from its own particular inking roller 41'and when the rear ends of the formes arevbroughtl beneath `the centres of' theirl respective inking rollers 41 the latter are raised by the linear cams 41 on the table so as'- to -olbviate. them coming into contact with and transfer their colours on to the next succeeding forme or formes.

In its further forward movement the table brings the linked face ofthe first forme andthe inked faces of the remaining formes consecutively into contact withthe front and rear offset cylinders, respectively, and

the colours are placed on the same in correct re ister.

' en the table commences its return stroke the oHset cylinders are partially raised by the levers 74: and when the oHset cylinders have been rotated half a revolution andthe edges of the pictures or'other matter being printed are brought directly beneath the cent-re of the paper cylinders the said offset cylindersare raised by the high partl of the cams intoA contact with the paper 36 (passing round the paper cylinder) and kept bearing tliereagainst until the offset cylinders have completed one revolution or part of a revolution.

The offset cylinders are partially lowered after transferring the impressions on to the paper and are lowered to their normal positions after the formes have all passed therebeneath when the operations above described can be repeated to make other impressions.

In Figure 15` the table lis shown in its rearmost position and in IFigure 15 the table is shown in the position occupied when it has moved forwardly just suiiicient to ensure all of the formes being inkedfrom their re..- spective inking rollers. In the last mentioned View the rear offset cylinder is shown receiving an impression from the second forme and the front offset cylinder in position to commence recxeiving an impression from the rst forme.

In Figure 15b the front offset cylinder is shown in its raised position after having/'received an impression from the first forme and the rear offset cylinder receiving an impression from the third forme.

In Figure 15 the 4table is shown 1n its forward position or at the commencement of the rearwardk stroke with both offset cvl-V placed on the front offset cylinder the ink-l ing sets are arranged `as shown in Figure and when a like number of colours are to be transferred to both offset cylinders the ink- -ing sets are arranged as shown vin Figure 16 of thedrawings.

The arrows shown in Figures 15, 15a, 15", and 15, indicate the direction of the movement of the table. i

When the press is to be employed for -printing direct onto the paper from the formes the offset cylinders are removed and the paper cylinder is moved to take its place. en the paper is directed through the press as above described the formes will transfer their impressions direct on to the paper on the forward movement of thev table and the paper cylinders will be raised prior to the commencement of the return movement 'of the table so as to remove the paper out of contact with the said formes.

The arrangement 'of the printing cylinders for edecting direct printing operations'is shown in Figure 7 ofthe drawings. In this last mentioned view the press is shown adapted for printing on sheets of paper and is fitted with endless tapes and suitably disposed rollers for directing the said sheets correctly through the machine.

The sheets of paper to'be printed upon are supported on an overhead feed table from which they are taken consecutively and passed lto the printing cylinder by any we ll known and efficient feed mechanism.

The topmost sheet is passed by a feed roller between endless tapes which direct the sheets through the printing sets and cutting devices-,in the direction indicated by the arl rows shown in Figure 7.

In the foregoing specification I .have described and in the drawings I have shown a press fitted with two printing sets and four inking sets but it will be readily understood that the press can be readily designed to take more than two printing sets and less or more than four inking sets and therefore, I do not wish to. be understood as limiting myself to the positive terms used in the description excepting such as the state of the art may require:

I claim 1. A printing press comprising two or more sets of printing cylinders, a reciprocating table supporting a plurality of forms, a number of inking sets for said printing cylinders, means for passing the paper to and from one printing set to the other, and a guide roller located between the printing sets, whereby when the table is reciprocated one or more impressions 'will be applied to different parts of the paper passing through thev press, whereby when the paper has passed through the last printing set all of the different impressions will be arranged lin correct registration thereon.

2. A printing press comprising two or more sets of printing cylinders, a reciprocat" for the paper located between the printing sets, and a roller arranged parallel with the guide roller, and adapted to -insurev the printing performed by both sets being placed .in accurate register on the paper.

3. A printing press comprising two or more sets of printing cylinders` 'a reciprocatnumber of inking sets arranged in combination with the reciprocating table, means for passing paper to and from one printing set to the other printing set, a guide roller for the paper located between the printing sets, and an adjustable roller. arranged parallel with the guide roller to insure the printing performed by both sets being placed in accurate register on the paper. f

4. A printing press comprising two or more sets of printing cylinders consisting of a paper cylinder, and an offset cylinder movably supported beneath the paper cylinder, a reciprocating table supporting a plurality of forms, a number of inking sets arranged in combination with the reciprocating table,

land means for raising and lowering theV offset cylinder to bring it in and outof contact with the paper cylinder.

5. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of printing sets, a frame for the printing sets, a reciprocating table in the frame for supporting a number of forms, tracks arranged longitudinall in the frame, rollers mounted on the table bearing on the tracks, and adjustable extensions for said tracks arranged to project lbeyond an end of the frame to support the table thereat.

6. In a printing press having two or more sets of printing cylindersand a number of inking sets' arranged in combination with a reciprocating table supporting a plurality of ving table supporting a plurality of forms, a v

forms, racks disposed longitudinally on the table, gearing mounted on the frame of the press and driven by the racks, a train of gearing for transmitting -motion from the rack to the printing sets, and means for retram.

sets of printing cy inders and anumber of inking sets arranged .in combination with a reciprocating table supporting a' number of forms, tracks on the frame of the 7. In a printing press having two or more f ress rollers adapted to support the table an run Usiliently supporting the gear wheels of said one end of the press, rollers for guiding the paper from the reel through the press, a pair of feed rollers adapted to be driven alter'- nately .to continuously unwind the paper from the reel, a table between the feed rollers and a printing set for supporting a looped portion of the paper and means for operA ating the guide and the feed rollers.

9. A printing press comprising two or more sets of printing cylinders, a reciprocating table supporting a plurality of forms, a pair of feed rollers, a ratchet wheel on the spindle of one roller, and an oppositely disposed ratchet wheel on the spindle of the other roller, sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on both spindles and having pawls adapted to engage the ratchet wheels, and

means whereby whenthe sprocket wheels are driven alternately iny right and left hand directionsthe feed rollers will operate to feed the paper into the press.

l0. A printing press comprising two or more sets of printing cylinders composed of a paper cylinder and an offset cylinder movably supported beneath the paper cylinder, a reciprocating table supportlng a plurality of forms, a number of inking sets arranged in combination with the reciprocating table, means for passing the paper from one printing set to the other, and a guide roller for the paper located between the printing sets.

In testimony whereof he has alixed his signature. v

VERE. LOCKSLEY REEVE.

aof 

